The present invention relates generally to devices for holding in a pre-arranged pattern a plurality of containers for items such as spices, and more particularly to a spice rack having an asymmetrical arrangement of three chambers wherein a maximum number of spice containers may be stored and displayed in a minimum amount of space.
Space is a major concern in today's world. It is a consideration that has permeated every aspect of modern society. The rapid growth of the world's population within limited space, and the ever-increasing cost of living, among other factors, have made space in this world an increasingly invaluable commodity, be it for living, work, or recreation.
In the everyday world of the kitchen, space has always been a highly-valued commodity. Nothing is more frustrating than to attempt to prepare a meal in a small kitchen. Moreover, due to the ever-increasing sophistication of the art of cooking, many kitchens are replete with special cooking utensils and devices to assist in food preparation. These devices, e.g., blenders, mixers, microwave ovens, etc., are often bulky. Accordingly, there never seems to be enough counter, drawer and shelf space, even in the most modern and spacious of kitchens.
The storage and accessibility of spices has always been a perplexing challenge, especially since the number and variety of spices used in preparing today's meals has increased significantly. Typically, spice racks are constructed of a plurality of rows of compartments for holding a plurality of containers. The rows are either stacked vertically on top of each other, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,992, or stacked vertically in stepwise fashion, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,889. These proposed devices are deficient in that an inordinate amount of space is required to hold a significant number of spice containers. For example, the proposed rack in U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,992 requires a great amount of wall space to be suitable for a large number of spice containers. Conversely, the proposed spice rack of U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,889 eliminates a portion of the required wall space, due to its stepwise, staircase configuration, but significantly increases the depth of the space necessary in order to be useable for a large number of spice containers. It is not unusual today for a kitchen to be stocked with a supply of as many as 24 different spices and herbs. Spice racks hitherto proposed cannot accommodate such an extensive inventory without occupying excessive wall space and/or counter or shelf space.
Accordingly, the need still exists for a spice rack capable of holding a large number of spice containers therein, which occupies a minimum amount of kitchen space while providing ready identification and accessibility of its contents.